Waking up to wind chill temperatures in the 20s Wednesday

Jacksonville's weather forecast includes an inland freeze

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Temperatures turn bitterly cold with inland areas expecting a freeze and area wide wind chill temperatures in the 20s Wednesday morning. 

Cheif Meterologist John Gaughan explains how warm we have been this winter, "This winter has been lacking cold nights and will be just the 6th freezing night (if we drop to 32°, or below) and this is well below the average of 17 nights of freezing temperatures we see each winter."

A cold front pushed through our area mid day Tuesday, clearing our skies out and bringing an icy blast of cold air across the southeast. Expect overnight lows between 28-36°. The coldest weather will be across inland Southeastern Georgia, where lows will range from 28-30°. Along I-10 we will see temperatures between 30-32°. The airport in Jacksonvile may get as cold as 32°, but in town, near the river, or the beaches will be in the mid 30s early Wednesday. St Augustine and Palatka should get down into the mid to upper 30s. 

Inland areas under the Freeze Warning need to be concerned with heating their home safely, protecting outdoor pets, and plants that are tropical, tender, or freshly planted. Pipes an dpools are not a concern with tonight's freeze. 

The Freeze Warning is in effect from 3-9a.m. Wednesday morning. Expect 2-4 hours of subfreezing temperatures. Areas under the freeze warning include Inland Duval, Clay, Hamilton, Suwannee, Columbia, Baker, Inland Nassau, Coffee, Jeff Davis, Bacon, Appling, Wayne, Atkinson, Ware, Pierce, Brantley, Inland Glynn, Echols, Clinch, Charlton, Inland Camden, Union, Bradford, Gilchrist, and Alachua counties. 

The gusty winds Wednesday morning, out of the northwest around 15 mph, will make our cold temperatures feel even chillier. Area wide, expect wind chill, or feels like temperatures, in the 20s for several hours Wednesday morning.